THE SLENDER THREAD (1965)

Sidney Poitier and Anne Bancroft shared top billing in THE SLENDER THREAD, but they never share any screen time together in the entire film. Instead, Poitier and Bancroft interacted on the screen through live phone conversations. Bancroft conversed from her dressing room to Poitier on the set.

PLOT SYNOPSIS (Spoilers Alert !!!!)

The film's opening sequence follows Allan Newell (Sidney Poitier), a college student studying PSYCHOLOGY dashing off by bicycle than by automobile to get to his next pressing engagement. It seems that Alan VOLUNTEERS once a week at a Crisis Call Center for Dr.Joe Coburn (Telly Savalas). Tonight is going to be Alan's first time alone at the Crisis Call Center.  Dr. Colburn has all the confidence in Alan to man the phones by himself. If a crisis occurs, Dr. Colburn can be reached at home, where he is spending quality time with his family.

As soon as everyone had left the Seattle Crisis Clinic, all hell breaks loose. Alan receives a PHONE CALL from a MYSTERIOUS CALLER (Anne Bancroft) who needs to speak to someone. The Caller sounds LONELY  and DESPERATE and on brink of doing something DRASTIC. Alan tries to coax the MYSTERIOUS  CALLER into revealing her name.  As the conversation progresses, Alan learns that the MYSTERIOUS CALLER has taken a handful of BARBITUATES and is CHECKING OUT.

Alan becomes ANXIOUS that he may not be able to handle such a GRAVE CRISIS. Just before the MYSTERIOUS CALLER attempts to sign off, Alan turns the tables informing her that he needs to talk. Alan INFORMS the MYSTERIOUS CALLER  that he is NOT a PSYCHARTRIST, he's a College Student that volunteers at the crisis center once a week. He expresses his regret that she had to choose him in the most important of her life.

Now, that the SITUATION has become DIRE, Alan makes a pretense to the MYSTERIOUS CALLER about getting some coffee. Keeping the line open, Alan goes on another line to have the call TRACED by the phone company and to alert the police of SUICIDE. Alan also INFORMS the operator that he needs Dr. Colburn to come back to the clinic.

The MYSTERIOUS CALLER accidentally reveals her name as Inga when she began to confess what drove to the point to take her own life. Inga starts to unfold the events that led to her HOPELESS situation. It all began when Inga returned home from grocery shopping, finding her husband Mark in despair. Inga learns that Mark opened a letter that was addressed to their son Chris. Inside the letter was a check for $250.00 from Chris's biological father who had passed away. Inga tries to explain that AFFAIR happened before they were MARRIED. Mark became outraged for being lied to all these years, raising another man's baby as his own for 12 years.

After her husband leaves her, Inga heads to the OCEAN  to DROWN herself. Fortunately, she wasn't alone on the beach, a young couple spotted her walking into the surf. Inga treaded further and further until she SUBMERGED herself underwater. Inga wakes up in the hospital still alive to face her problems once again. Mark shows up at her bedside but still hasn't forgiven her. Inga tries to explain that nobody need knows that Mark is not Chris's real father not even Chris.

At last, Dr. Coburn arrives at the Crisis Clinic to assist Alan with Inga. Keeping Inga on the line is the main objective for the phone company can TRACE her call. Alan is informed that Inga's respiration is going down. He begins to implore Inga to tell him her whereabouts for she will be DEAD in 30 minutes. Inga still refuses and delighted with the news.

Inga once again began to UNLOAD her BURDEN. She continued to add that Mark did make an attempt to save their marriage. But once in the BEDROOM, Mark was unable to become INTIMATE. Inga knew right then, that her marriage may not recover. Not even, Inga's new sexy nightgown could bring out the BEAST in Mark. This was the final straw, Inga could not live with herself any longer.

Inga continues revealing the incidents that led to her to SPIRAL down the rabbit hole. Inga claims that she went back to the same hospital that treated for her first suicide attempt. She DESPERATELY needed someone to help her understand what was happening to her. But Inga was told by the On-Call Psychian that she may have to be COMMITTED  to receive the proper treatment. Inga wasn't sure if she wanted to be around CRAZY PEOPLE so she opts to leave the emergency room.

Later, Inga finds herself in a hotel room SWALLOWING a HANDFUL of PILLS. Afterward, she finds an advertisement in the newspaper about the Crisis Center and decides to call. Finally, Inga reaches someone that she can talk to.

After Inga finished her BACKSTORY, Alan decides to use the TOUGH LOVE tactic by yelling at her "GO ahead baby, go ahead and die!!"Dr. Colburn was BEWILDERED by Alan's unorthodox approach that could ALIENATE Inga. Alan then went a bit further by THREATENING to HANG UP the phone. Dr. Coburn quickly INTERVENES trying to grab the phone from Alan. Suddenly on the other end of the receiver, Inga begs Alan to stay on the phone. 

Good News has arrived, the whereabouts of Mrs. Inga Dyson has been established. She is at the Hyatt House Hotel, but the problem is the hotel has 200 rooms. And apparently, Inga REGISTERED under ASSUMED NAME. The countdown begins Inga has only 8 minutes to live. Alan tries DESPERATELY to find the name Inga registered under and room number. Sadly, Inga doesn't remember the ASSUMED NAME but tries to UTTER the room, but FALLS off the bed onto the floor UNCONSCIOUS.

Mark Dyson arrives at the Crisis Center and tries to get his wife to RESPOND to his VOICE on the phone. No response, apparently Inga has CHECKED OUT.  Afterward, the Crisis Center was filled with DEAD silence. Then a voice from one of the responding Police Officers came over the receiver saying that they found Mrs. Dyson and she is STILL BREATHING. A sigh of relief came over everyone at the Crisis Clinic including Mark Dyson.

Dr. Coburn PRAISED Alan for saving Inga's life. He also added that Alan is more than capable manning the Crisis Center alone when he was away. Before leaving to go to the hospital to check on Mrs. Dyson, Dr. Colburn asks Alan if he wanted to meet his MYSTERIOUS CALLER. Alan grins and says NO. As the finale closing in, Alan BANGS on his CHEST let lose a TARZAN YELL in TRIUMPH.
 

FILM FACTS :

 THE SLENDER THREAD (1965) was originally called CROSS MY HEART AND HOPE TO DIE with Elizabeth Ashley as Inga Dyson. Due to a contract dispute, Ashley was forced to drop out of the project and Ms. Bancroft was cast to replace her.

Edith Head was nominated for Academy Award for her Costume Design for Anne Bancroft in THE SLENDER THREAD (1965).

THE SLENDER THREAD (1965) performed poorly at the box office and received mediocre reviews upon its release.

 THE SLENDER THREAD (1965) was Sydney Pollack 's first Big Screen Fim debut. 

 THE SLENDER THREAD (1964) is based on a short story based on a real incident called "Decision to Die"  from the May 29,1964 issue of LIFE Magazine.

Quincy Jones composed the music to the soundtrack to THE SLENDER THREAD (1965)

IMMORTAL DIALOGUE : 

" I want to TALK to you. I meant I need to TALK to you."

                     "Look, I'm not going to judge you, Inga."

                    "It happened before we were MARRIED."

  "Do you THINK getting CAUGHT in a LIE is the same as TELLING the TRUTH?"

                    "Go ahead Baby, Go ahead and DIE !!!"

                                       "I love you, Inga ."

 THE CAST:
Sidney Poitier (Alan Newell), Anne Bancroft (Inga Dyson), Telly Savalas ( Dr. Coburn), Steven Hill ( Mark Dyson), Ed Asner (Det. Judd Ridley), Indus Arthur ( Marian), Paul Newlan (Sgt. Harry Ward), Dabney Coleman (Charlie), Greg Jarvis (Chris Dyson),
H.M. Wynant (Dr. Morris), Robert Hay (Patrolman Steve Peters), Jason Wingreen (Med Technician), Lane Bradford (Al McCardle), Steve Marlo (Arthur Fuss), Jo Helton (Registered Nurse), Charlotte Stewart(Telephone Operator), Viola Harris ( Telephone Supervisor).

MY BOTTOM LINE :

Sidney Poitier and Anne Bancroft, both give outstanding performances in THE SLENDER THREAD (1965). Poitier plays a sympathetic Crisis Volunteer who shows great compassion and empathy to a woman who is on the brink of impending doom.

Poitier is quite believable as his character goes beyond his work experience to try to save a life. With his effortless style of acting, Poitier creates a likable character who becomes a true champion of Community Service.

Bancroft is superb as the ill-fated damsel in the distress who decides to end her life with a handful of pills. Bancroft's soothing voice adds another layer to a  would-be one-dimensional role. Even though her character acts cavalier about her impending fate, Bancroft manages to have depression seep through.

I found THE SLENDER THREAD (1964) to be a tense and riveting film. However, the film played out at times like a TV Movie of the Week. I think the problem lied in the editing. There were too many padded scenes that did not compel the story forward like the discotheque scene, the dead birdie on the beach scene, and some of the endless tedious scenes with the phone company. I think by eliminating those scenes the film who have flowed more fluidly instead of being disjointed. Thankfully the film had great actors like Sidney Poitier and Anne Bancroft to keep the film afloat, instead of sinking to oblivion.